Street Crane Celebrates 50 Years of Leadership and Innovation with Chairman Martin Street

Street Crane, the UK’s leading manufacturer of overhead cranes and hoists, proudly celebrates a remarkable milestone: Chairman Martin Street marks 50 years of dedicated service to the company.

Martin began his career in 1975 after two years of training as an accountant, realising his true passion lay in manufacturing. Joining the family business was a natural step. Starting as a sales estimator at Crane & Hoist in Sheffield, earning £10 a week, Martin worked in a Victorian factory office alongside a team of just 25 people before moving to Street Crane operated separately in Chapel-en-le-Frith.

Reflecting on his journey, Martin cites his proudest achievement as the decision to design and manufacture Street Crane’s own range of hoist units and crane components—a move that transformed the company’s future. “When I started, there were more than 20 crane manufacturers of similar size in the UK. Today, Street Crane stands as the only one still producing its own range of products,” Martin said.

Under his leadership, Street Crane launched its third series of hoist products—the ZX6, ZX8 and ZX10—competing successfully with global giants on cost and performance. Another pivotal decision was to distribute crane components worldwide through a network of trusted partners, enabling Street Crane to become a global player.

Martin attributes the company’s success to innovation and adaptability: “We studied what leading manufacturers were doing and developed our own cost-effective solutions. Change was never easy, but it allowed us to grow and remain competitive.”

Above all, Martin emphasises that none of this would have been possible without the people behind the business: “It’s been a team effort all the way. From past to present, every achievement belongs to the incredible team at Street Crane. I am deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to our success.”

It has always been important to Martin that provides good local jobs and careers but Street Crane is more than a business—it’s a family. Many employees have seen their children and grandchildren join the company, reinforcing its strong community values . Martin takes pride in seeing his son join the leadership team, ensuring continuity for future generations.

Looking ahead, Martin offers advice for future leaders: “Stay focused on what we do best. Keep pace with competitors, embrace industry standards, and continue developing world-class products.”
As Street Crane celebrates this milestone, Martin reflects on his legacy: “I hope to be remembered as part of a team that kept Street Crane at the forefront of world-class crane makers. I thank everyone—past, present and future—who made this journey possible.”